Reversible door latch and lock



1,627,420 May 3 1927f A. J. THOMAS REVERSIBLE DOOR LATCH AND LOCK FiledMay 2]., 1924 ATTURNEY.

Patented May 3, `1927. p

1,627,420 PATENT OFFICE.

yernannte QIACKSON TIIoMAs, ory CLINTON, INDIANA.

REVERSIBLE DOOR LATCH AND LOCK.

Application aieauay 21, 1924. serial No. 714,777.

This invention relates to the type of appliance that is commonly knownas a mortise-lock or bolt, theinvention having reference moreparticularly to a combined latch and lock for Idoors that is adapted tobe quickly and inexpensively applied.

An object of the invention is to provide a door latch and lock that maybe com? pactly constructedof .l simple and inexpensive parts and of suchform as to be adapted to beapplied in a hole bored in a door and obviatethe cost .commonly entailed in the making of chisled mortises requiredfor rectangular lock cases.

Another object is to provide a reversible door latch and lock that shallbe adapted to be applied for usein a simple manner withoutrequiringexpert workmanship and extremely accurate. fitting ofvarious partstogether, and which. shall have strong yet inexpensive partsessentialto, lock structure. A further object is to `provide areversible door latch and lock which may be constructed of simple partsadapted to be produced with small cost for. machine work or finefinishing operations, and which shall be strong, durable and economical`in use.

With the above-mentioned and otherv objects in view, the inventionconsists in a vnovel apparatus forv latching and locking 'doors providedwith a cylindrical casing adapted to be applied reversibly as mayy berequired on different doors; and the invention consists also further inthe parts and combinations and arrangements 4of parts as hereinafterparticularly described and further defined in the appended claims.

Referring to thedrawings, Figure 1 is i a fragmentary elevation of adoor and its casing having the inventionapplied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the door frame showing the front ofthe keeper plate thereon; Fig. Sis a fragmentary elevation showing theedge of the door andthe inf vention applied thereto; Fig. 4 isaperspective view of a lock key on an enlarged scale, suitable lforoperating the improvedv door lock; Fig. 5 is a horizontal longitudinalsecl tion of the latch and lock mechanism on an: enlarged scale,centrally of the lock case;

Fig. G is an Vend -view of an improved latch bolt retractor andcontroller yoke; LFig. 7 is a vertical central sectional view ofthelatch and lock mechanism; Fig. 8 is a transverse fragmentary section`approximately on theiline VIIIe-.VIII in Fig. 7 on a relatively smallerscale; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the principal parts of the latchand lock l mechanism assembled separately from the c'asingthereof; andFig. 10V is a fragmentary side view of the lock case.

Similar reference characters in the differentgures of the drawingsindicate corresponding elements -or features of construction hereinreferred to in detail.

`In `the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a door frame which maybe'variously constructed, and 2 indicates a door which may be variouslyconstructed as desired and arranged to be latched and locked to theframe.l `An improved keeper is provided which comprises a plate adaptedto be secured to the door frame and having a projecting striker plate 4on one edge thereof, the middle por-` tion of the plate 3 having a'rectangular aperturet therein to receive a latch bolt, the plate havlngalso recesses 6 and 6 extending from the upper and lower portionsrespec' tively of the aperture to receive the two bars ofanimproved-lock bolt. The latch and lock mechanism has a tubular orhollow cylindrical case 7 which is of suitable diameter so asto beinserted in a bore made by a standard woodboring bit, one endof the casehaving an end plate 8 fixed theretotobe seated on the edgeV of the door,the plate having a rectangular aperture 9 and recesses 10 and 10extending from the upper and lower portions respectively of theaperture, similarly to that in the keeper, yin which to guide. the latchbolt and the lock bolt. rFheopposite end of the case 7 has a closurewhich preferably is a screw plug 11 removably secured therein. One sideof the case has a key-hole 12 and the opposite side has a keyholelQtherein, the key-holes being arranged equal distances from the end plate8, and eachone preferably `is circular. At a suitable distance fromv the-plug 11 thecasel 7 has also two guide holes 13 and 13 in oppositeportions,

of thecasing wall to receive a latch-operating spindle. The plate 8 issecured to the door `preferably bymeans of screws 14.

A novel hollow cylindrical ortubularlock bolt Abody 15.is provided whichis of suitable diameter Vto freely slide within the lock case 7, and ithas two oppositelyarranged lock bars 16 and 17 fixed on the forwardportion thereof that are guided in the recesses 10 and 110frespectively.The body 15 has a tension springr .18 suitably connected thereto and ltl normally pressing against the` wall of the case 7 to hold the body inplace-exceptrwhen forcibly moved by a key, the spring` being arranged ina suitable recess 19. The opposite side portions of the wall of the bodyhave longitudinal slots 2()` and `2O therein, one edge of the wallhaving rack bar teeth 21 thereon projecting towardsthe wall edge 22 onthe opposite side of the slot, the edgey 22 constitutinga guide foracylindrical key 23 that is tinted or shaped `as a ypinion to engage theteeth 21; the key being adapted to lit closely in the-kiey-hole 12 andbeing provided with an operating shank orv handle 24, whereby to movethe loc-kbolt longitudinally in `the lock case.

A novel latch bolt is provided which com.F prises a bolt head 25 thatismovably guided in the apertureI 9 and has a beveled outer end 26, theupper and lower portions of lthe head that areusually'horizontal havinglonF gitudinal grooves 27 and `28 respectively to receiveportionsoff'the lock bars16- and 17, the grooves being opposite to thelrecesses 6 and Gv. The lock boltincludes also a shank 29 fixed to theback of the bolt-head and extending partially through the body part 15,the shank havinga.crossbai-' to constitute ai'l'ehead30` on-its/innerend.v Preferably theinner side of the bodyv part 15 has longitudinalgrooves 31 at opposite sides of the lock bars to receiveV thecornerportions of the latch bar head, to guide the head through the body15 whenlvassembling the parts. A novel yoperatingfand controlling frameor yoke v32 is provided which is mova-bly guided in `the casing 7rearward of the tubular body 15, the forward Vportion of the frame beingsutliciently narrow-to enter the tubularbody, the frame having shoulders33 and 33" to engage the inner end of the body. A disk plate 34 isVfixed on the forward end of the :trame and it has a slot 35 extendingfrom the edge thereof to removably receive` the neck ofi the T-head 30,whereby the shank 29 is connected to the frame to permit the latch boltto befretracted partially into an opening 36 provided in the frame 32. Acoil spring 37 is arranged on the shank 29 and seated against the head25 and the disk plate 35 for yieldingly holding the lat-ch bolt inprojected position. The rear end of the frame 32 has aicircular guideplate 38 fixed thereto that assists .in guiding the frame in` thecasing7, and acoil spring 39 is seated against the plate 38 and the plug 11,for yieldingly holding` the controlling frame in bolt-projecting.position. The spring -39' is rstronger than` the spring 37. The frame 32has a longitudinal slot 40 therein and gear teeth41 to, constitute arack-bar at one side oftheslot. Two identica-l face plates 42-and 43 areprovided to besuitably secured to the opposite sides of a door, eachbeing adapted to serve as an escutcheon plate which has a key-hole 44therein in lalinement with the key-holes in the lock case to assist inrotatively guiding the key 23. For manually retracting the latch bolt aVspindle 45 is arranged in the holes 13 and- 13... and extends throughthe slot 40, the spindle being luted or provided with gear teeth :46,that are in engagement with the teeth 41, the spindle extending throughthe faceplates -in which it may be suitably guided, the spindlebeingprovided with knobs or handles 47 and 47/ as is customary.

T he apparatus maybe quickly mounted on a door after simply boring ahole for the lock case T and also small holes for the lock key and thespindle, the several parts being secured in place bymeansof screws. Asis apparent,l the lockcase may be arranged in `relatively inverted orderfor attaining re.-

versibility asmay be. required -on different doors, some swinginginwardly and others outwardly while some are hinged at one side andother-son the-opposite side of a. door frame-orvcasing, or thelatchingand locking apparatus maybe inverted in the lock casing; also,the latch bolt maybe inverted relatively to yth'e lock bolt and theframe 32 asappears in Figure 9.

The invention is intended to be variously modified to suit conditionsand especially to lessen the cost when required for very inexpensivebuildings, ythe structure permitting the omission of either the latchbolt or the lock bolt and either one or both ofthe coil springs. A

In. practical use, when the apparatus is constructed and mounted asdescribed7 the springl 39 holds that portion ofthe frame 32 thatisrearward ofthe spindle 45 so as to bestopped against the spindle,permitting the striker plate 4to force the latch bolt back against.` thepressure of the weaker spring 37 while the door is being forcibly closedthe spring automatically projecting the bolt into the keeper when thedoor is fully closed. The spindle 45 is to be turned so as to operatethe frame 32 and retract the latch bolt to permit the door to be opened,thespring 39 forcing'. thefspring 32 forward when the spindle knob isreleased. The key 23 is inserted in one of the key-holes and intoengagement with the teeth 21 and rotatedvin order to project -or toretract the lock bolt.

that -is claimed as new is z,

1. Ay door latch and lock including a tubular case having-a front plateon one end and a Aplug' in the opposite end thereof, the front'platehaving an aperture therein, a beveled latch bolt and -a lock boltarranged togetherf and guided in said aperture for relativelyindependent longitudinal movement, .theilatchbolt being provid-ed onitsinnerend with a yoke having lgear teeth, a

spindle rotatively guided in the tubular case and having gear teethengaging the gear teeth on the yoke, a coil spring seated on said plugand the yoke, and a key to engage and move the lock bolt.

2. In a door latch, the` combination With a tubular latch case With afront end, of a latch bolt comprising a bolt head and a shank fixed tothe head, the head being movably guided in said front end, the shankhaving a cross-bar on its inner end, a yoke movably guided in the latchcase and having a front plate on one end and a back plate on theopposite end thereof, said front plate having a slot therein looselyreceiving said shank sideWise and permitting said cross-bar to engagethe back of the plate, said yoke being provided With a toothed rack bar,a coil spring on said shank seated against said bolt head and the frontplate of said yoke, a coil spring seated in the latch case and againstlthe back plate of said yoke, and a spindle guided by the latch case andhaving gear teeth engaging said rack bar.

3. In a door latch and lock, the combination of a tubular case having afront plate fixed on one end and a plug removably secured in theopposite end thereof, the case having a key-hole and a bearing apertureto receive a spindle in the Wall thereof, said front plate having aguide aperture therein and recesses extending from opposite sides of theaperture, a latch bolt movably arranged in the guide aperture and havinggrooves opposite to the grooves in the front plate, a yoke connected tothe latch bolt, a spindle arranged in said bearing aperture and havingconnection With said yoke, and a lock bolt comprising a body-movablyguided in the tubular case and two lock bars guided in said recesses andin said grooves, said body having devices to be engaged by a key to beinserted in said key-hole to move the lock bolt.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature on the 6th day of May 1924.

ALBERT JACKSON THOMAS.

